Topic: Vista Help

[thegallery]

Sorry Simon, I can't find the "Vista Help and Discussion" so posting this here.

A friend is havign a problem with Service Pack One update and here is what he wrote:

I know some of you use Vista and hopefully are more knowledgeable than me. I have a problem that I need help with.
 
After the recent auto update of the Vista Service Pack 1 on my laptop, I have detected 2 problems so far. The Windows Sidebar doesn't work correctly and the Windows Media Player doesn't work correctly. I need to get the WMP working because I have a program that uses is to play videos. Right now my program doesn't work because it can't run the player.
 
I've done some searching and have found others with the same issues but no real solution from Microsoft.
 
I'd appreciate your ideas.

I wonder if any of you have some ideas as to what's going on? Frankly I have no problems with Vista at all; love it!

[David]

Hi I know little or nothing which Vista do you have?I have premium here and as on my other machine (which is Vista Basic) both side bars have stopped  at one time but I got a message to say sidebar has stopped working would you like vista to repair and on both machines it has worked out.

You can go to ..computer then click on personalization and appearance and you should be able to sort it from there.....Hope this helps.

I think Vista is great .........But like I say I know little or nothing 

[Simon]

Hi TG,

We had a bit of a forum reshuffle a while back, and Vista is now included in Windows & General Software Help, so you've posted in the right place. 

Not sure about the sidebar issue, as I don't use it on mine, but perhaps try David's suggestion?  When you say 'not working correctly', is there anything more specific you can tell us?

As for WMP, have they tried reinstalling it?  A download can be found here.

Come back to us if you need more help, and I'm sure someone will able to sort things out for you. 

[thegallery]

Thanks folks. It seems he is running Vista Home and there is no option, for example, to uninstall WMP.  He uses some special bio-feedback program with a special needs child and the videos are not playing the current version of WMP. He wanted to roll it back and can't.

Below are the notes he has sent me:  I will encourage him to try AIM online rather than the program. But let me know if you have any other thoughts for his latest predicament.   

Also, could he not try a 'system restore' date or is SP1 too much for that? I wonder if the Laptop manufacturer is having issues in all their systems...

The Sidebar is sort of there although you can't get any of the widgets to appear.
 
I have Vista Home.
 
When I downloaded the version of WMP and tried to install it, it said it could not install an older version over a more recent one.
 
You can't uninstall it as it is part of the Vista core.
 
I can play the avi or other files in RealPlayer. However the specific software I am using does not provide any access to the RealPlayer, only the WMP.

The problem, I believe, has to do with the UAC. Some programs now, like AIM and WMP have to be Run as Administrator.
 
Changing screen resolution did not help.
 
WMP does play videos but it is the special app that I am using for biofeedback that is having difficulty launching WMP from within it.
 
I am stuck with not being able to try some new things at the present. Not a big deal, but puts a damper on my moving forward.
 
I can live without the Sidebar and AIM on my Vista laptop.

[Simon]

If it's the special app he's having trouble with, maybe it's not compatible with the latest version of WMP?  Has he tried installing any new widgets to see if they appear?  Sorry not to be of more help.   

[Sandra]

Has he tried disabling UAC ?
If not click on Run and type MSCONFIG then OK.
Then click on Tools and scroll down to Disable UAC, click on it to highlight it, then click on Launch then Apply.
He will need to reboot for it to take effect.